Lilysmom's TealogLilysmom's tealog on Steepsterhttp://steepster.com/
Napoleon from TWG Tea CompanyMy first tasting note!
Made my first visit to the lovely Urban Tea Merchant shop in downtown Vancouver yesterday. What a lovely shop! (Did not realize it was right beside my dentist - will have to pay a visit now each time I go for a check up!)
Was thinking I wanted their caramel black tea, but the staff guy suggested this one - Napoleon smelled a bit sweeter, so i chose it instead, and I love it! Very smooth black base, can taste the creamy caramel and mocha. Having it with cream and a couple of swirls of the rock sugar wands they also sell....it's very good! So good, I am drinking it at 930 at night....lets hope I sleep! A wonderful tea, highly recommend. Sat, 06 Apr 2013 00:22:18 -0400/teas/Napoleon/10422-napoleon?note=167503
Ceylon Star from DAVIDsTEAThis was a sample from one of my DT orders. I was kind of hoping I wouldn't like it much.....since I do not need more black tea! .....but......it's good! I like licorice and chocolate so.....I didn't stand a chance! The licorice is soft flavor, kind of spicy, like a melted twizzler?......a nice milky cocoa taste too....sometimes I think Davids mixes too many flavors together......but in this case, it all works ! Licorice, spice, cocoa creamy good!
I have a ton of black tea, and many on the "need to try" list, so won't rush to buy this right away but would be great morning or work day tea that I would buy again sometime for sure! Sat, 06 Apr 2013 16:39:00 -0400/teas/Ceylon%20Star/32306-ceylon-star?note=167631
Licorice Twist from DAVIDsTEAI love black licorice. When I was little, one of my best friends was from Holland, and she would share her "double salt" black licorice....an acquired taste, but I came to love them! Now, I love also love the sweeter twizzlers, the all sorts mix.....licorice.....I like it.
This tea was one of my first purchases. I dug it out of the cupboard, looking for something decaf on Sunday night. It smells "herb-y".... This worries me, but the first sip is good.....strong sweet powerful licorice flavor....it's spicey too, with ginger, cloves.....but the licorice is the predominant taste.....it stays in your mouth like a black hard candy.....not bad......sweet, you don't need to add a thing.......perfect for late evening sipping, sweet strong and satisfying.......I think it is out of stock at the moment......hope it comes back, I would re-buy.....a good choice for licorice lovers.....Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:48:56 -0400/teas/Licorice%20Twist/23572-licorice-twist?note=169249
Red Velvet Cake from DAVIDsTEAI had tried this tea very early in my intro to the world of tea.....which is recent, I only started dring loose tea in early 2013....,I didn't love this tea, but only tried a cup or two.....I was in Davids recently, and thought I should give it another try......I love black, flavoured sweet tea......this should be right up my alley, right?
Well, the smell is wonderful....it is cakey, buttercream.....a scent I love for candles btw......but the tea......it is just too sweet for me......and I get an oily sort of mouth feel.....it is ok, overall, but it does taste to me like drinking a hot, runny cake batter......too hard for me to drink that, at least other than the occasional cup, when I really want something sweet.....
As I let my unfinished half cup sit, the whole room smells like I lit a buttercream candle.....maybe I won't use this one as tea, but as room scenter....wouldn't rebuy this one......
Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:51:21 -0400/teas/Red%20Velvet%20Cake/30003-red-velvet-cake?note=171601
Caramel from The Urban Tea MerchantI have been on the hunt for a nice caramel black tea.....I thought this might be the one......unfortunately, I don't get enough caramel......it is a nice smooth black tea, but if I didn't know it was caramel tea, I don't think I could tell from the taste......sad face..........I high hopes for this urban tea merchant caramel tea....but I think there is a better one out there......so.....the caramel tea hunt continues.....Sat, 27 Apr 2013 14:39:28 -0400/teas/Caramel/29271-caramel?note=171611
Mint Julep from DAVIDsTEAFinally made it into DT to check out the summer collection. The staff said they had "tons of stock" ( I was worried they would sell out, if I really liked it ) and I did like the minty smell, so I got 50 grams.
Brewed up and really taste the mint! I loved Santa's Secret, but this one is cool tasty spearmint. Lots of spearmint! I didn't get any coconut or fruit.....but that's ok. I had it with a little rock sugar and a splash of half & half.....very refreshing......think I am going to make another cup.....this would be a good " drink at work" tea, I think......Sat, 18 May 2013 21:26:28 -0400/teas/Mint%20Julep/37469-mint-julep?note=175103
Coconut Cream Banana from Murchie's Tea & CoffeeMurchies is in my 'hood, but their shop is busy, and I thought if I asked for tons of small samples of tea, they would be ( slow ) and aggravated.....so I ordered about 14 small samples of flavoured black tea on- line.....worked ok......still trying them out, but none have jumped out yet as needing to be quickly repurchased......except this one......my favorite murchies tea so far......I went back and purchased a small bag ( 114 grams ).....it really tastes like coconut banana cream pie.....a great desert tea, flavours taste natural.....as an aside, I highly recommend the murchies biscotti.....I thought it would be hard and dry, but it is almost like a shortbread, great quality and very fresh.......they have white chocolate, cranberry.....very nice with tea......
Mon, 20 May 2013 18:09:11 -0400/teas/Coconut%20Cream%20Banana/25441-coconut-cream-banana?note=175416
Glitter & Gold from DAVIDsTEAI realize that I have a lot of tea that I tried ( or bought ) in my very early tea drinking days ( ie. 6 months ago ) that I may not have really tested out.....because, there was so much tea in the world and I was a bit overwhelmed, and tried so many things so quickly.....
So, found a package of glitter and gold i had purchased a while ago, and brewed a couple of cups in the breville. I like this one....I bet I will drink it a lot around the Christmas holidays....the black base is smooth, mildly spicy, I taste the cinnamon and a bit of orange.....very nice, the flavors blend well......I will re-buy this at some point......with a bit of half and half and a tiny bit of rock sugar .... Nice treat, but not too sweet.....
It is cool and gray in vancouver.....I had the heat on, how can that be when it is almost June? Well, this is a good cool day tea......I am trying to make "doings chores" more enjoyable by sipping tea as I go......burning a nice "s'mores" candle .... It feels like fall! This is a nice tea! Sun, 26 May 2013 14:51:15 -0400/teas/Glitter%20&%20Gold/11273-glitter-and-gold?note=176399
Raspberry Herbal Iced from Harney & SonsI haven't had a lot of iced tea, but this is my favorite so far. Really rich red colour and very tart raspberry flavour. Just bought this today at Chapters on a whim and have to say, I am impressed. The few other iced teas i have tried have just seemed like very ( very ) watered down juice.....this has something to it....
The big tea bags made prep super easy. I am going to play around with this one, try doctoring it up with some added fruit, etc. And now I want to try more Harney and Sons......and more iced tea.....I hope they are all as good as this....Sat, 01 Jun 2013 03:26:02 -0400/teas/Raspberry%20Herbal%20Iced/9610-raspberry-herbal-iced?note=177386
Black Currant Iced Tea from Harney & SonsI am in love with Harney & Sons. They have swept me off my feet, I want all their tea.....
I bought this yesterday and made an iced tea jug.....have to say, I didn't love it iced. It may just be that I am not at all used to black tea iced, or ?maybe I steeped too long....in any case, I found it bitter.....
I thought I would try it this morning as a hot tea....ok newbie steepster question......any reason this (iced) tea would not make a good hot tea? It comes in those big bags for iced tea, so I just cut one open and brewed up as I would any flavoured black.....very....nice....hot......smooth, tart berries, crisp and very flavourful.....love it hot......
Harney & Sons.....come to Canada.....have another online sale.....please.....Sun, 02 Jun 2013 13:34:16 -0400/teas/Black%20Currant%20Iced%20Tea/9041-black-currant-iced-tea?note=177609
Pink Lemonade from DAVIDsTEAOMG I hate this. Busy Sunday, and so I ran into DT without checking steepster ratings. I thought, pink lemonade, wouldn't that be nice? I "flash froze" a cup....at least, I think that's what it's called.....I steeped about 3 tsp in my steeper and then let it empty into a big glass of ice.....first time to do the flash freeze
Is it the stevia? ....the metallic aftertaste is awful....it smells like.....lawn? ....like I am drinking yard grass? ..... I have a 50 gram pouch.....can I return it? I will never drink this.....I think the SA overcharged me on stuff anyway.....where is my bill? .... Yikes, my stomach is churning.......dumping this........worst tea ever! ( did I say I didn't like it)......blech......
Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:45:35 -0400/teas/Pink%20Lemonade/37830-pink-lemonade?note=178855
Hot Cinnamon Spice from Harney & SonsSo got this one at Williams Sonoma for some crazy inflated price, but have gone Harney & Sons crazy, so what could I do?
Smell is....cinnamon! Wow, very strong. The sachets it comes in are so lovely. First cup plain with nothing added - I like it! It is very very cinnamon-y!! It feels almost like a light cinnamon syrup, and is it sweet. I think this will be a tea I drink on its own, but will try it with milk.....definitely doesn't need sugar. So many of the davids teas I have seem to have such faint flavours, you are guessing, what sort of tea was this supposed to be? Not this one - you know it's cinnamon!
First day of one week vacation/ staycation for me!
Yay - going for massage therapy and out shopping for new iced tea to celebrate! Another cup of this hot cinnamon tea will get me going.....Sat, 15 Jun 2013 12:39:46 -0400/teas/Hot%20Cinnamon%20Spice/2199-hot-cinnamon-spice?note=179702
Blueberry Jam (organic) from DAVIDsTEABought this awhile ago, initially loved it, then was put off abit by the strong smell.
Made a big one liter pot in the breville this morning. Added in a bit of extra leaf.
Well, the kitchen smells like blueberries- that is fine! Had the tea with steamed frothed skim milk - it is fine! I think I would like even MORE blueberry flavour.....maybe I will sweeten the next cup and see what I think.....or try an iced latte with some frozen blueberries......yes, that might be tasty.....Sat, 15 Jun 2013 14:46:35 -0400/teas/Blueberry%20Jam%20(organic)/27668-blueberry-jam-organic?note=179725
Pink Passionfruit from DAVIDsTEAI kind of like this....I used 3+ teaspoons in my steeper for about 5 mins ( the time doesn't really matter with herbals?) then flash froze it over a big cup of ice.....maybe too much ice, I think I might of liked it a bit stronger....
Without sweetener it is tarty, but I like that.....I would re-buy this. Wonder if it is out of stock? It's good, no strange after taste. Much better than DT's pink lemonade....I will try a little stronger and with sweetener next time.....Sat, 15 Jun 2013 20:27:21 -0400/teas/Pink%20Passionfruit/37488-pink-passionfruit?note=179760
Nana's Fruit Garden from Herbal RepublicSo, I got a "teazer" sampler pack of this, which I think is the only option for purchase at herbal republic other than buying a full tin/big bag (100 gram minimum? Unless you get the teazers, I think.) Not sure, as I only dashed in there on lunch break, not much time to chatter. It was about 5+ tablespoons in the sample teazer pack.
I think I have been using too little tea in my iced blends so I dumped the whole teazer into my takeya, steeped for about ?10 mins in boiling water then added cold water and ice to make about 1.5 - 1.75 litres, then chilled in the fridge. I even tossed in some frozen berries to the mix.
Having a big glass now over ice with a tiny bit of Sonoma simple syrup. It's good. Very fruity, very berry, very juicey. The more I drink it the more I like it. I think I taste more sweet strawberry, than tart berry, but it is nice. Will definitely go back for a tin ( or bag, however they sell it ) and add this one to my summer iced tea rotation!
Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:09:03 -0400/teas/Nana's%20Fruit%20Garden/37955-nanas-fruit-garden?note=179928
Mango Fruit Punch from DAVIDsTEABacklogging from yesterday, which was a hot one, filled with lots of iced tea.
I made this with about 10-12 tsps of "tea" in the 2 L DT takeya, hot water, then ice, then put the infuser back in the coolish pitcher while it sits for a while in the fridge. Also added in some frozen mango.
Yum!! Wish I didnt like this so much as it is heavy and expensive! But, it was so nice and mango-ey! I had ordered some herbal mango from H&S (still waiting) after trying their sampler and I think this is better than theirs (H&S was abit bitter, but still very tasty, as I ordered a tin).
I am liking many of the Davids's fruit herbals for iced tea! And, just many iced teas....trying to decide what I need to re-buy from DT.....tropicalia, mango fruit punch, pink passionfruit, and possibly strawberry rhubarb parfait, which is chilling in the fridge for later today....I like them all....luckily, I have lots left, but....finally warm and sunny days, perfect for fruity iced tea..... Sun, 30 Jun 2013 12:55:10 -0400/teas/Mango%20Fruit%20Punch/37463-mango-fruit-punch?note=181759
Spearmint (organic) from DAVIDsTEAI've been away from Steepster for a while. Just wasn't enjoying hot tea much over the summer. And I was buying too much, but when I stopped shopping....well, a big part of the fun is shopping, ordering, trying new teas.....
Anyways, cool weather, and back on tea.....I love anything mint, peppermint, spearmint, I have peppermint candles, peppermint chocolate patties ( in the freezer-extra good!).....made a big mug of this spearmint tea.....added in frothy cream and a hammonds peppermint stir stick.....yum! I am not sure i can fairly rate this tea,with all the extra mint, sugar and cream I added.....but it's good like this! Cool, creamy, sweet! I have had it plain, and it is a good pure spearmint.....but quite a treat with all my extra "add ins!"....
I almost bought some harneys peppermint herbal at chapters today.....wish I had.....then I could compare these two mint teas.....well another day tomorrow....Thu, 07 Nov 2013 22:51:04 -0500/teas/Spearmint%20(organic)/13038-spearmint-organic?note=201624
Sugar and Spice from DAVIDsTEAI like this one more than I thought I would. It does taste like spice cake and gingerbread, both things I love. I bought 30 grams initially, then repurchased 100g (took 50g to work, left 50g at home) and then....just bought another 100 g tin.....it has been my recent "go- to" tea, when I want a pleasant tasting caffeinated black tea. I sometimes do tea swaps at work - I also bought our dietician and ward clerk 25 grams of this each to try ( one liked it, one didnt ).
I made up a liter in the breville, so will be sipping it through the morning....with a bit of rock sugar and frothed milk - yum, spice cake!
It seems so cold out! I feel worn out from the work week, and not very motivated to tackle the very long list of weekend chores. Hopefully, this tea perks me up!!Sat, 16 Nov 2013 13:38:33 -0500/teas/Sugar%20and%20Spice/39705-sugar-and-spice?note=203140
White Chocolate Frost from DAVIDsTEAI thought I would love this more - I will have to give it another try. The dry leaf smell is just like peppermint patties, which I love. And the tea is very minty. I don't get much white chocolate? And it is oily, as others have noted. I think I like a plain strong mint tea, maybe doctored up with extra peppermint syrup or mint stir sticks, better than this. But, only had a quick cup, will have to try it again.
Sun, 17 Nov 2013 14:45:06 -0500/teas/White%20Chocolate%20Frost/41091-white-chocolate-frost?note=203359
Marzipan Sweet Almond Ceylon from NikaidoMerry Christmas everyone! It is fun to read all the tasting notes - my goodness, I didn't realize there were so many Christmas teas! I have started the day with "marzipan" from Nikaido. This is a black tea and so I added a little bit of frothed light cream and a couple of rock sugars - probably wouldnt have needed the sugar as it is sweet already.
It tastes like marzipan! - sweet, creamy and a little bit spicy. It helps that I am having it with Christmas stollen, which I love, with a marzipan center! Enjoying it in the giant davids tea red sweater mug - lovely tea to start Christmas Day.
Wed, 25 Dec 2013 14:32:04 -0500/teas/Marzipan%20Sweet%20Almond%20Ceylon/22641-marzipan-sweet-almond-ceylon?note=210628
Caramel from The Urban Tea MerchantI see I tried this tea before and didnt really love it. It's not really a Christmas tea, but I am craving caramel, so wanted this one next. Added frothed light cream.....and starbucks caramel syrup. Who knows what the actual tea tastes like now, but this combo is very creamy smmoth sweet caramel - yum!
Enjoying the tea with a bit of #83 dark chocolate from Thomas Haas. Thomas Haas is a vancouver pastry chef and chocolatier. I really enjoyed my visits to his chocolate shop this season. The place was always packed, but his helper "elves" were giving out cookies while we waited in line, Thomas was singing....very cheery atmosphere....and of course.....you were surrounded by chocolate! Anyway this caramel tea, with cream and an extra caramel shot is a de-lish treat. Wed, 25 Dec 2013 15:33:40 -0500/teas/Caramel/29271-caramel?note=210643
Super Ginger (organic) from DAVIDsTEALast tea of the night. It has been a nice addition to my Christmas Day to drink tea with all the other Steepsters! I like this tea and love ginger, but while this has good flavour, I would like more....checked the fridge and sadly, no honey.....must buy some tomorrow along with fresh ginger which would make this tea even better.....
Reading the new John Grisham and debating Boxing Day shopping....lush has a BoGo for Christmas things.....think I am going to get up early and check out some of the sales. Goodnight Steepsters! Thu, 26 Dec 2013 01:01:02 -0500/teas/Super%20Ginger%20(organic)/33383-super-ginger-organic?note=210735
Banana Dream Pie (organic) from DAVIDsTEAOne kind of good thing after taking a bit of a tea break, is when you look in your cupboards ( and drawers and shelves and....).... You have a lot of nice tea you kind of forgot about! Like living in a mini tea shoppe.....
Anyway, 3 tsps in 500 mls in the breville....a few rock sugars and frothed light cream.....yummy! It does taste like banana and cream and a bit of milk chocolate - very nice!! I need some energy to get to the gym.....I really just want to stay home and read and play with Lily cat and drink tea......hit the Boxing Day sales early and got some great BoGo deals at lush.....the lady in front of me spent $350 - crazy!! I did not do anywhere near that kind of damage but still got some nice stuff.... This yummy desert tea is another very nice treat.....Thu, 26 Dec 2013 15:56:26 -0500/teas/Banana%20Dream%20Pie%20(organic)/31563-banana-dream-pie-organic?note=210833
Fruits d'Alsace from Harney & SonsI have had this one in my cupboard forever. It is certainly a nice tea, nothing wrong with it. The black base is smooth, strong but not bitter and I definitely taste the fruits. Maybe I need to.....?add sugar.....?try it plain...?add in some frothed milk......I like it well enough, but not sure i find it very remarkable..... Well, I have a tin, so will get the chance to try it plenty more times, plenty more ways......trying to drink as much tea as possible while I clean house and await a FedEx delivery.....(not tea unfortunately)........Fri, 27 Dec 2013 13:25:33 -0500/teas/Fruits%20d'Alsace/22322-fruits-dalsace?note=211008
The Earl's Garden from DAVIDsTEAEarl Grey is not my favorite, but I must have thought otherwise at some point as I found a 100g tin in the cupboard. I am not usually home weekday afternoons but am today.....it is rainy and windy.....baking some banana bread and wanted a good solid black tea......
I had been to Davids and bought the light blue giant mug - I love those big mugs ( I have the red sweater one too)....so good for a giant cup of tea, soup, cereal.....they are heavy but....still good.....I also bought some of davids new creamed lemon honey.....and put some of that in this tea....it's pretty tasty.....no rating since I doctored it up with the flavoured honey......I just don't love bergamot......will have to try the honey in something else.....like ginger tea! - that would be nice I bet.....
Anyway nice and cozy afternoon, sadly I have to go out in the rain to physio so hopefully the tea wakes me up.....Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:15:14 -0500/teas/The%20Earl's%20Garden/15694-the-earls-garden?note=214220
Vanilla Comoro from Harney & SonsBacklog - I ordered this from Harneys and didn't like it initially. Tried it again a couple of weeks ago and have been really enjoying it. The vanilla taste is great, the scent is so soothing and with a bit of cream and a little rock sugar, it is a really nice evening treat. The best decaf I have found so far. I been going through at least one large mug each night.
I have the sachets and find I can use only one and still make a generous mug. I had these vanilla stir sticks ( sadly gone now ) which really boosted the flavour. This tea is re-order for me for sure, this is one I will always want to have on hand for evening sipping. Thu, 09 Jan 2014 22:56:19 -0500/teas/Vanilla%20Comoro/3589-vanilla-comoro?note=214282
Forever Nuts from DAVIDsTEAMy cupboard is so out date. I saw that I had this one in my cupboard and kinda remembering buying some after getting it as a "to-go" cup, ages ago. Darned if I could find it tho.....so into Davids to get some today....I needed more decaf hot tea evening options.....
Anyway, used 3 tsps and DT's big green latte mug....also added in some of their creamed cinnamon honey....and frothed light cream.....smells wonderful, like apple crumble.....tastes very good too, nutty, cinnamon, lightly sweet and very satisfying.....I crave carbs in the evening and this is a good alternative.....
I have been on a major NY fitness kick....which is great but my body is still adjusting and is in a bit of pain....nice to curl up on this dark stormy night with this comforting cup.....and an ice pack on my knee....
Sat, 11 Jan 2014 23:44:58 -0500/teas/Forever%20Nuts/10338-forever-nuts?note=214830
Cacao Mint Black from TeavanaAnother tea I had forgotten I had. I didn't have the greatest teavana experiences early on ( and now I never go ) so I guess I kind of blocked out their tea and forgot about it.
Used 2 tsps in the Davids big mug about 3/4 full....possibly over steeped as Lily the cat was trying to climb into the dresser and got stuck and needed help getting out - silly Lily! I used a tiny bit of rock sugar and frothed1% milk. I bet it would be even nicer with a light cream. This tea is pretty good- I get a strong chocolate smell and taste, and I really like that, and no bitterness. I wish this was decaf so I could drink it at night. I love chocolate and did buy some fancy hot chocolate mix from thomas haas, a local chocolatier, which is wonderful - but the calories!! This would be a great low cal, healthier alternative.
About half way through my cup I added a little shot of starbucks peppermint syrup.....good, but I think it was fine on its own. I am liking it! Maybe teavana is worth another look....( I know to beware the upsell)....well, home from swimming.....is it ever going to stop raining? Kind of want to go to Ikea, but never really find that very pleasant and would rather stay home with Lilycat and my chocolate mint tea....
Sun, 12 Jan 2014 15:32:04 -0500/teas/Cacao%20Mint%20Black/4204-cacao-mint-black?note=214968
Chocolate Orange from Granville Island Tea CoI am really enjoying tea again! Another one I had forgotten about.
Brewed 2 tsps in the big DT mug, 3/4 full.....this is kind of meh.....if I didn't know the flavour, not sure I could tell. No real chocolate or orange aroma I can detect. The flavour is very subtle - it really doesn't taste like much of anything. If anything it tastes a bit dark chocolate-y, but I am trying hard to find the flavours. Nothing really wrong with it, but nothing much to recommend it either....Sun, 12 Jan 2014 16:39:23 -0500/teas/Chocolate%20Orange/16253-chocolate-orange?note=214976
Cotton Candy from DAVIDsTEASun, 13 Jul 2014 20:39:05 -0400/teas/Cotton%20Candy/47434-cotton-candy?note=254110
Maple Sugar from DAVIDsTEAGot 25g of this yesterday. I was trying to get a few smaller (25g) pouches and the DT girl did the teavana trick....."is 35g ok?".....I said ok, for the first 2 teas then said....."no, just 25g pls"......anyway, having this in one of their big latte mugs with hot frothed milk....I do taste the maple but....maybe I don't love maple, or it's a bit artificial tasting? I seem to get a bit of aftertaste. It's not bad, but I wouldn't need to drink it again.....I find it pretty sweet.....but it's maple sugar, no surprise there......if you like sweet flavoured black tea, you might like this.....Thu, 28 Aug 2014 17:25:48 -0400/teas/Maple%20Sugar/49944-maple-sugar?note=261464
Caramel Vanilla Assam from Butiki TeasMon, 27 Oct 2014 20:37:14 -0400/teas/Caramel%20Vanilla%20Assam/36387-caramel-vanilla-assam?note=271394
Red Queen Cupcake from Butiki TeasI got my Butiki order earlier this week and have been having a lovely time trying all these lovely teas out. Also, kicking myself for not ordering Butiki sooner and wondering what can compare when the shop closes.....
The smell of this one to me is espresso - I had added a little rock sugar and cream. The taste tho, is such a delicious strawberry. I taste the chocolate, the espresso, but the sweet natural tasting strawberry is the star. As my cup cools, ( and I guess I have a little more sugar in the bottom of the cup), this does taste like a delicious cake, with dark chocolate ganache and succulent strawberries....
I was hoping to work my way through my Butiki box and try more tea....but I want another cuppa this delicious one. Sat, 01 Nov 2014 21:54:01 -0400/teas/Red%20Queen%20Cupcake/47527-red-queen-cupcake?note=272068
Caramel Vanilla Assam from Butiki TeasCaramel is my favourite flavour, and I have tried lots of caramel tea, in search of the perfect flavoured black cup. I think I always knew from the reviews, this was the tea for me.
I could drink this every single day. The black base is there - this is tea! - but it so smooth and there is no bitterness. Creamy caramel and soft vanilla. It smells wonderful and tastes even better. As usual, added a bit of rock sugar and 1/2 and 1/2 cream. I have 2oz but hope I can reorder so that I can continue to enjoy this tea a little bit longer.
Sat, 01 Nov 2014 22:59:51 -0400/teas/Caramel%20Vanilla%20Assam/36387-caramel-vanilla-assam?note=272075
Hello Sweetie from Butiki TeasI love the name of this one. First tea of the (rainy) day, home after swimming and happy to warm up. I couldn't remember what the flavours for this one were. First impression, I smelled and tasted coconut. A lot of coconut. I looked it up and saw "banana and caramel". Didn't get too much of that, until I got further down my cup, abit more rock sugar in the bottom seemed to make the banana more prominent.
Maybe because I have so much DT and they put coconut in everything, this one didn't blow me way as much as frankly....every single other butiki tea I have tried!! I may also have under leafed and will try again. Maybe I have just had too much coconut lately. Still a very nice, smooth tea, I would very happily drink again.Sun, 02 Nov 2014 14:50:11 -0500/teas/Hello%20Sweetie/41171-hello-sweetie?note=272175
So Long, and Thanks for All the Licorice from Butiki TeasI love black licorice. When I was young, I had a great friend who was born in Holland who introduced me to the really strong double salt licorice. Hated it at first, then loved it and ate tons of it. Sweeter licorice is good too.
Ah, this tea. A flavoured black, my favourite. It is so so licorice-y. What is most amazing is the mouth feel of it, and how it really feels and tastes and smells like you have been eating black licorice. I had it with milk and a bit of rock sugar, but I bet it would be fine without either. This is another tea that I wish I could have in my cupboard forever - will be very sad to say "so long" to this one. Sun, 02 Nov 2014 21:20:58 -0500/teas/So%20Long,%20and%20Thanks%20for%20All%20the%20Licorice/37115-so-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-licorice?note=272227
Apple Custard from DAVIDsTEAMon, 03 Nov 2014 02:57:31 -0500/teas/Apple%20Custard/53319-apple-custard?note=272259
Three Friends (Orange, Marshmallow, Chocolate) from Butiki TeasAh, this tea is lovely. I find it very soothing, such a smooth and tasty blend. The predominant note I get from the smell and first sips are the orange. It is a great orange too, not fake or funny tasting. I wish there was a bit more marshmallow - I get the creamy mouthfeel, but don't taste it much, at least in the 2 cups I've had so far. The chocolate is creamy milk chocolate, a great complement with the bright orange. It seems like a Christmas tea drink to me, which I like, even tho it is still a ways till Christmas. Seems like a treat, and really tastes like those chocolate oranges.
Drinking this on yet another dark rainy Vancouver night. Under yet another rainfall warning. This is a bit of gentle bright comfort that makes a wet and gloomy evening quite a bit more cozy. Mon, 03 Nov 2014 22:35:03 -0500/teas/Three%20Friends%20(Orange,%20Marshmallow,%20Chocolate)/33388-three-friends-orange-marshmallow-chocolate?note=272403
Three Friends (Orange, Marshmallow, Chocolate) from Butiki TeasTue, 04 Nov 2014 18:24:33 -0500/teas/Three%20Friends%20(Orange,%20Marshmallow,%20Chocolate)/33388-three-friends-orange-marshmallow-chocolate?note=272568
Three Friends (Orange, Marshmallow, Chocolate) from Butiki TeasTue, 04 Nov 2014 18:24:40 -0500/teas/Three%20Friends%20(Orange,%20Marshmallow,%20Chocolate)/33388-three-friends-orange-marshmallow-chocolate?note=272570
Peppermint Patty from Butiki TeasI thought I had rated this before? I love peppermint patties and I love this tea.
I sometimes put peppermint patty candy in the freezer. Usually, I forget about about them, then when I find them - woohoo! Such a great surprise. Back to this tea - It is super minty, and creamy cool, with smooth milk chocolate. I love it, piping hot, at night. I could drink this every night, it is everything I could want in a night time tea. I will have to reorder a big stock of this before the butiki shop shuts down Sat, 08 Nov 2014 00:21:17 -0500/teas/Peppermint%20Patty/36639-peppermint-patty?note=273115
Apple Custard from DAVIDsTEAI think I am becoming disillusioned with DavidsTea. Are they even tea anymore, or just flavouring n' stuff? What if they made a few great teas and not so much....yuck.....(says the gal who still enthusiastically watches for their seasonal releases)... ...hmm.....
So had 24 grams of this and dumped the whole package into the Breville tea maker with 1L of water. Set it for "strong" and "herbal". That was about 8 tsps, so more than should have been needed but was really hoping for....flavour.....
Very pale yellow colour.....getting worried....it's very pale....nice enough smell.....kind of cakey.....the taste?.... Honestly, if I didn't know what it was, I would have no idea.....it tastes like.....hot water?....yes.... Is that bitterness / astringency supposed to be apple? Where's the custard? I love custard....I don't get that here.....
Will try to drink another cup but don't think I will get thru the entire 1l pot.....going to add a bit of starbucks caramel syrup to it and see how that goes.....Sun, 09 Nov 2014 00:08:57 -0500/teas/Apple%20Custard/53319-apple-custard?note=273251
Santa's Secret from DAVIDsTEANow, this is a nice DT. I enjoyed it a lot last year, and had quite a few 50 gram sealed pkgs in my cupboards. It seems really cold tonight, but no rain or wind warnings, so clear and cold is fine with me.
It's peppermint theme night for me - went to bath & body yesterday and got some of their Christmas candles, including, my favourite, twisted peppermint. Burning it now, and it is a cool creamy strong mint scent. Kind of just like this tea.....
I brewed 6 tsps in a liter in the breville tea maker, set to "strong" and "black". Realizing....it's a little late for me to be drinking a liter of caffeinated tea, but....oh well. If I had an unlimited supply, I would rather drink butiki peppermint patty at night, but trying to hold off on another order until I can see their new teas. So, in the meantime....
This is a tea I enjoy. The mint is smooth and creamy. I think I wrecked my first cup by adding a big shot of Starbucks peppermint syrup.....that's just too much mint. Going to dump it and have another cup with just a bit of rock sugar and cream. Now, if I only had some peppermint patty candy around, that would be delightful. But, unfortunately, do not, and can't let myself run to the store, just to get candy. Hopefully another cup of this (without the extra starbucks) kills my candy mint craving.
Sun, 09 Nov 2014 22:08:57 -0500/teas/Santa's%20Secret/16391-santas-secret?note=273457
Peppermint Herbal from Harney & SonsI couldn't remember for sure if I owned this or had just looked at the tins at Chapters. I left the house feeling fine this morning and returned home feeling like a giant cold had hit me incredibly hard. Usually, I feel a cold creeping on....not this time. Scratchy throat, sniffles, blerg, achey, happened in a blink of an eye. What could be the tea for poor old me?
Hunting in the various cupboards - yes! I do have a pretty tin of these sachets! (And, an awful lot of murchies stuff and teavana I had forgotten about - will have to look through that stuff another day). The H&S sachets are so easy, no muss no fuss. I didn't do anything to this, no added starbucks syrups or any messing around, as I often tend to want to do. This is good stuff. Just clean peppermint, nothing weird or unexpected. Easy to manage and the cool clean mint is soothing for a sore throat and upset tummy. Honestly, I don't want a cold. Go away cold, I have stuff to do. Mon, 10 Nov 2014 23:53:09 -0500/teas/Peppermint%20Herbal/40887-peppermint-herbal?note=273594
Divine Temptation from Bayswater Tea Co.I bought some of this last winter based on the positive steepster reviews. I remember enjoying it, so picked up some more when I was last in the 'hood.
This is a great dessert tea. It really tastes like nougat, those chewy white bars that had stuff in them, that I can remember chewing on as a kid. It is sweet, definite nougat smell and creamy mouth feel. There is also a nice nutty taste here as well. Not much of a black base but nothing disagreeable either, no bitterness. I wish I had some of their creme brûlée to try a combo with - have to remember for next time. I added cream and a little rock sugar, but will skip the sugar in the next cup, I think this one might be naturally sweet enough.
Very clear and cold tonight. I can't figure out how to turn the pilot light on for my fireplace. Darn it! - would have been a good night for a toasty fire. Ah well, have turned up the heat, snuggled into my fluffy "mr bear" slippers, lit some candles and watching "call the midwife" on Netflix. Will make another cup of this tea, and should be set for a comfy cozy evening. Tue, 11 Nov 2014 22:25:17 -0500/teas/Divine%20Temptation/39560-divine-temptation?note=273805
Christmas Spice Tea from Secret Garden TeaEek, I don't think I've ever been the first to review! I guess because this is a local tea, not many have tried.
I bought this last year from Secret Garden tea shoppe, which is a small, cute shop in central Vancouver, popular for high-tea. They sell a lot of tea, many of which have tasty sounding names....but few reviews, so hard to know if their stuff is tasty. They also have 100 gram minimum, quite a lot of tea, if you end up not liking it.
Anyway, I bought "Christmas spice" black tea last year, and only had one, totally forgettable cup. Tonight I brewed 2 tsps in my Davids steeper ( quite full ) for about 5 minutes ( no instructions on the bag). I prepped hot frothed milk in my Breville milk frother. I keep the frother in the freezer, so it has to spin for quite a while to heat the milk, and really makes a ton of lovely foam, which I used to make a big frothy latte.
This tea is better than I remember. Not too strong ( I would have liked a bit more spicy kick) but it tastes like a nice Christmas spice. Kind of like eggnog spice, I get some nutmeg. Next time I will sprinkle some cinnamon on top, or maybe get some cinnamon stir sticks which might nicely kick up the flavour. I am burning a new candle, pumpkin gingerbread, and the scent is really complementary to this tea. Tue, 11 Nov 2014 23:18:48 -0500/teas/Christmas%20Spice%20Tea/42581-christmas-spice-tea?note=273811
Raspberry Truffle from Butiki TeasNice tea! Really notice the dark chocolate flavour and the raspberry sweet! I think I like some of the other Butiki chocolate teas better - love 3 friends and red queen cupcake - but this is nice too.
So cold! I have the heat up so high but still feel chilled. It feels so dry in here-hate to admit it, but I am looking forward to things warming up, even if it means a return to rain. Lots of things I should do, but don't feel much like moving around in the cold.
Kind of watching a kitty cat live stream - a lady in the area has done a great job with cat rescue and is live streaming the birth of some new kittens she is fostering this weekend. They were featured on our local news - hoping all goes well with the new baby kittens !
http://new.livestream.com/tinykittens/oz Sat, 15 Nov 2014 17:12:38 -0500/teas/Raspberry%20Truffle/22052-raspberry-truffle?note=274350
Pomme Prestige from TWG Tea CompanySun, 16 Nov 2014 12:56:47 -0500/teas/Pomme%20Prestige/54003-pomme-prestige?note=274447
Caramel Vanilla Assam from Butiki TeasThu, 20 Nov 2014 18:28:12 -0500/teas/Caramel%20Vanilla%20Assam/36387-caramel-vanilla-assam?note=275163
Nutmeg Dusted Custard from Butiki TeasTue, 02 Dec 2014 01:12:56 -0500/teas/Nutmeg%20Dusted%20Custard/54012-nutmeg-dusted-custard?note=276889
Nutmeg Dusted Custard from Butiki TeasTue, 02 Dec 2014 01:52:21 -0500/teas/Nutmeg%20Dusted%20Custard/54012-nutmeg-dusted-custard?note=276897
Nutmeg Dusted Custard from Butiki TeasTue, 02 Dec 2014 01:52:30 -0500/teas/Nutmeg%20Dusted%20Custard/54012-nutmeg-dusted-custard?note=276898
White Chocolate from Butiki TeasThis is disappointing. I don't get really any white chocolate flavour, even tho there are a few some small white choc chips in the bag. It's just an average tasting, a bit bitter black tea. Tastes like a very basic decent grocery store black brand. Sun, 25 Jan 2015 20:45:46 -0500/teas/White%20Chocolate/54007-white-chocolate?note=285650
Red Queen Cupcake from Butiki TeasSat, 31 Jan 2015 17:51:21 -0500/teas/Red%20Queen%20Cupcake/47527-red-queen-cupcake?note=286533